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BAFTAs may snub ‘Downton Abbey’ but Emmys embrace this Brit hit

If you are worried about how the fourth season of “Downton Abbey” will fare at this summer’s Emmys based on the results of Sunday’s BAFTA TV Awards, fear not. The hit Brit export was nominated for just a single BAFTA this year — Costume Design — and it won that race at the recent creative arts ceremony.

But the BAFTAs should not be regards as a precursor to the Emmys. These top TV honors in Britain employ a perplexing voting process that is biased against such popular returning fare as “Downton Abbey.”

Altogether, “Downton Abbey” has won just three BAFTAs (Costumes this year, Director and Sound for its first season) from 14 nominations (including two for acting). Last year, it lost its sole BAFTA bid — Production Design. However, that season contended for a dozen Emmys, including Best Drama as well as in all four series regular acting races, directing and writing. It won Music Composition.

In all, the show has won 10 Emmys from a staggering 40 nominations (including 12 for acting) for its first three seasons. Scene stealer Maggie Smith has claimed two Emmys, a SAG and a Golden Globe but reaped just one BAFTA bid for the first season. And creator Julian Fellowes won an Emmy for writing the first season which contended as a miniseries and was nominated in the competitive Drama Series writing races for each of the second and third seasons. However, he has been snubbed throughout by the BAFTAs.